


Justifiable

by Piggie50



Series: Arthur is Not an Artist, Merlin, Surprisingly, Is [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 17:17:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2033364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piggie50/pseuds/Piggie50
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is going through a rough patch in his relationship with Arthur, so he flees to the safety of Gwaine’s apartment just to be reminded of the ways he and his boyfriend have thrived in the midst of their past struggles. Modern AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Justifiable

**Author's Note:**

> This will be part of a series, so hold on tight and wait for more!  
> Have fun reading!

Merlin hated to have to come to Gwaine’s apartment so late at night, but it could hardly be helped.

He and Arthur had gotten into a fight just hours before, his boyfriend going off into a tangent when he found out that Merlin was trying for a new major in his graduate program at the Pendragon Institution.

“Why do you need to enter the English courses,” Arthur had questioned, looking up over his sports magazine, eyes narrowed. “I thought you were going into music,” he had continued, speaking as though Merlin were slow in the mind.

“I want to try something new,” Merlin had said, setting his new course text books on the coffee table near his boyfriend. “I think music isn’t going anywhere so far.”

Arthur had all but rolled his eyes, “I don’t think any of your studies will go anywhere.”

It might have been said in jest, Merlin couldn’t be sure, but either way his feelings were suddenly hurt and he shrunk in to himself.

“What is that supposed to mean,” he questioned angrily, tucking his hands into his brown jacket for comfort, “you always seemed interested in what I studied before. And besides, you said you would be the one providing the money around here, so what does it matter what I do?” His tone was exceedingly mocking, and Arthur seemed to pick up on it.

“I am making the money around here, as well as everything else in this relationship!”

Merlin, fed up with all of the nonsense his partner was saying turned on his heel, “well don’t worry,” he yelled over his shoulder, “you don’t need to provide anything for this relationship anymore, seeing as there is no longer one to provide for!”

There had been silence at the end of his shout, but Merlin didn’t stick around to look at Arthur’s expression, no matter how shocked or sad it might have been.

He had slammed the door behind him, leaned back against it to let out a dry sob, then quickly run to his car before Arthur chose to pursue him…

And that was how he had ended up in front of Gwaine’s inexpensive and shady apartment building on the bad side of town.

His friend’s dingy car was outside of the building in his usual spot, the little green wyvern stuffed animal still attached to the dashboard, so Merlin was sure he was home.

Sighing to himself, Merlin quickly trotted up to the door that read ‘300’ and gave a double set of knocks, pulling his collar up higher around his neck once he was done.

It was a moment later when the faded door opened, Gwaine standing there in a pair of washed-out sweatpants, a threadbare t-shirt clinging to his torso.

It only took one look and Gwaine tugged him inside, “what happened?”

Merlin wrapped his arms around himself and avoided his friend’s eyes by looking around him.

Rock posters and used furniture were posted all around the area of the apartment. The red couch had several soda stains on it, along with crusted orange spots from the excessive indulgence of Cheetos regularly. The faded walls held signed album covers from Gwaine’s band, “Camelot,” the latest album, “Eye of the Phoenix,” proudly framed near the window.

“Arthur and I…” Merlin finally admitted, “we had another fight.”

It was a common occurrence that the two fought, but they loved each other too much to stay too mad for long…but this time Merlin wasn’t sure if he could forgive his boyfriend or not. Arthur had pretty much told him that he was useless no matter what he did…it hurt.

“What was the fight about?” Gwaine had moved from his place by the door to sit on the couch, taking a drink from his Coke can before staring at Merlin, hair flopping lazily into his eyes.

Merlin sighed to himself again and sunk down in a pink chair opposite of him. It had been a prank gift from Arthur and was hideous, but very much loved at the same time.

“It was about my change of studies at the Institute.” He moved the matching pink pillow out from behind his back and held it in his lap, hugging it tightly.

Gwaine hummed in response, “he always gets touchy about the Institute.”

Pendragon Institute was Arthur’s father’s domain, and by relation, his own. He was sensitive about it, and Merlin was too.

It was where he and Arthur had first met, in a beginner’s art class that had them both chatting together in a partnership of the painting kind.

Merlin clutched at the pillow tighter, “he said that it didn’t matter which study I took on…I would never provide anything to our household…or relationship.”

Gwaine spat out his mouthful of chips, crumbs flying everywhere, just missing Merlin’s head, “what?” He choked out after coughing for a minute, “that utter prick!”

Merlin shrugged, burrowing down into the chair further, “I got mad and walked out…after telling him that I wouldn’t have to worry about providing anything since our relationship was over.”

Gwaine stared at him, eyes wide, “you ended it with him?”

Gwaine had been there at the beginning of Merlin and Arthur’s relationship, a friend on the sideline to go to when things got to complicated or heavy between them. 

He was one of Merlin’s best friend’s, and was fiercely protective of the thinner male. He was the perfect person to talk to when things went wrong, or when Merlin needed help.

Merlin bit his lip at the brunette’s question, “I-I don’t know. He hurt me when he said those things. I don’t like it when he acts like that.”

Gwaine snorted, “he always acts like that Merlin, you just don’t notice because he’s only nice to you.”

Merlin flushed at that, “that’s not true! He’s nice to you too, and all of the other Camelot boys!”

Gwaine gave him an unbelieving look, “oh please Merlin. He’s only nice to me because I stepped in when he got a knife pulled on him in that bar fight…which was over you. And he only likes Leon, Percy, Lance, and El because you like them.”

Merlin shifted in his seat, “well…that might be true…but he does like you all as his own friends too.”

That would be awkward if he and Arthur broke up. They frequented the same social groups, and were always together.

Gwaine stared at him from his seat, “Merlin…nearly everything in his life revolves around you…he won’t admit it of course, but he needs you. He always has.”

Merlin thought back on all they had been through: all of Mordred’s plots to get them expelled from the Institute; every double date with Gwen and Morgana; all of the Camelot band meetings and performances; and even when the threat of Arthur’s father remarrying occurred.

They had experienced so much together in the last two years, so, so much.

Too much to put off as just a fluke between two people.

They were two sides of the same coin, as Professor Kilgharrah, the mythology teacher at the Institute liked to tell them whenever they were in his class.

Merlin came back from his thoughts to find himself staring at a series of pictures of the Camelot band, which were framed on a small table near the pink chair.

Gwaine, playing the guitar, switching from his right to left hand in performance. Elyan and Percy sitting near the drums together, pouting playfully at the camera. Lance smiling at the crowd as he reached out to them, happy to see them happy. Leon writing a new song, oblivious to the camera snapping photos of him…and then, all of them together, with Arthur and Merlin included, cheerful smiles on their faces as they raised their beers to the camera from their usual table at the Manticore, their favorite bar.

Merlin looked back up at his friend, who was munching on a handful of potato chips, his eyes trained at the black haired male in front of him.

Merlin bit the inside of his cheek then tilted his head to the side, “you think I should go back to him.”

Gwaine tilted his head back at him, “I think that Arthur makes you as happy as you make him…which is a great deal. You two need one another. You are better when you’re with each other.”

Merlin squeezed the pillow one last time before he stood up swiftly from the chair, “I have to go,” he told Gwaine, the other nodding.

“Lock the door behind you!” Gwaine called out as Merlin all but ran away.

Merlin did as he was bid…

It was midnight by the time Merlin arrived back home at he and Arthur’s apartment.

No lights were on in the kitchen or living room, so Merlin was forced to stumble around in the dark, bumping into a table in the hall and barely catching a picture frame before it tumbled to the ground.

He looked down at it, his heart wrenching when he saw it was the one of he and Arthur at his mother’s birthday party, Hunith all smiles as Merlin hugged her, Gaius on her other side, Arthur behind them all.

That was the day Arthur had first told Merlin he loved him, and that Merlin was part of his small and ragged family now.

They had stood on the patio of his childhood home, Merlin remembered as he stared unseeingly at the photograph, Arthur had leaned against the railing that needed painting, his eyes miles away as he told Merlin that he missed out on all that Merlin had taken for granted.

Then, he had turned to Merlin and smiled so sweetly at him that Merlin had thought his heart might burst, before he told him those three words that were so sweet.

Merlin had known then that he could never forget that day…and he had not.

Now, he set the picture back on the tiny table and wandered further down the hall, seeing the sliver of light escaping from their bedroom.

Taking a quick breath he steeled himself for another shouting match, then, he opened the door.

Only the lamp on Arthur’s side was on, and he was sitting up against his pillows in the bed, his chest bare and pale in the minimal light.

He looked up from his book when Merlin entered the room, which Merlin considered a win since he knew how much his boyfriend loved that medieval weapons book.

They stared at each other for a minute, Merlin standing still in the doorway, biting his lip, and Arthur on the bed, eyes dark before he held up a single hand and beckoned with a crooked finger.

Merlin felt helpless but to obey, his feet moving forward, making him stumble into the room and towards the bed.

“I didn’t think you’d come back tonight,” Arthur told him, his voice rough and cracked.

Merlin nearly fell on the bed, on his side, the right, before he bended down to take off his shoes, the faded converse tossed away towards the closet before he leaned back and curled up on his side towards Arthur, with all of his clothes still on.

Arthur stared down at him from his position, slowly placing a bookmark in his book before he set it aside, on the beside table.

Then, he scooted down on the bed to be right beside Merlin, their blue eyes staring at each other.

“I’m sorry,” Merlin whispered to him, “for leaving.”

Arthur shook his head, the blonde locks falling into his eyes, “I’m the one that should be sorry…I said things that I shouldn’t have…things that aren’t true.” He reached out to run his fingers over Merlin’s pale cheek, the younger man leaning into the touch.

“You do provide things in our relationship,” he continued, his rich voice making Merlin relax against the soft sheets, “you provide love and so much more…you spark the magic in our relationship Merlin…and I love you for it…for everything.”

Merlin opened his eyes at that and stared at his boyfriend, seeing nothing but utter truth and love in his eyes, those eyes that he adored so much.

“I love you too,” he said back, his voice quiet in the sacred space of their bedroom.

Arthur smiled softly at him, that smile that made Merlin’s heart flutter each time he gave it.

Then, Arthur moved towards him a bit and kissed him, a gentle press of lips against lips, and Merlin knew…he could never leave this man’s side…ever…

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hoped you all liked it!!


End file.
